Of Parc Benches and Coffee Stains
by PassionPitchPerfect
Summary: Chloe is more than what people think. Beca sees that. Beca is music. Chloe just can't resist.
1. Prologue

Sometimes, Chloe Beale likes to sit still and just watch the world go by. She goes outside and, without fail, always ends up sitting on the same park bench. Sometimes with a book and tea, sometimes with hot chocolate and mittens. Sometimes with Cat Stevens crooning in her hears, sometimes Dallas Green and sometimes even Leonard Cohen.

People like to think that because she's happy and likes to dance, she only listens to top 40 hits. She never bothers to correct them, but limiting her to only one genre would be akin to taking alcohol away from an alcoholic. So she sits. And quietly listens to The XX and Jamie Cullum and The Police, taking it all in.

But not today. Today is the first day of her senior year here at Barden. After being a good friend, like she always is, for a few hours, Chloe managed to sneak away from the much-too-small apartment she'll be sharing with Aubrey for the next school year. The narrow space was filled with noise from Aubrey's rushed unpacking and mile-a-minute rambling and Chloe felt as if she'd suffocate if she stayed just a minute more in the stifling room.

She put on her shoes, an old pair of canvas sneakers, to go with her moving day attire, jeans and an old V-neck. Knowing she was moving in with Aubrey, she came prepared. She was her best friend, but Chloe was the first one to admit that the blonde could be a bit of a slave-driver. Even if it meant making Chloe move the couch an inch to the right for the _fourth_ time because it still wasn't perfectly aligned with the rug. Had Chloe been anyone else, she'd have suggested moving the rug instead but she was nothing if not herself. So she rolled up her short sleeves and pushed the heavy couch. Again.

Anyway, here she was, on her way to her bench. Well, it wasn't really _her_ bench per say. But she liked to think of it as hers. After all, she'd started coming here to collect her thoughts when she was only a wide-eyed freshman. She still came here to calm herself and she was still as enthusiastic about everything as ever. Maybe things hadn't changed that much in four years.

But oh – they had! Aubrey and Chloe were now the captains of the Bellas. Responsible for leading their team to victory! Team now composed of only two members - them. Cue a classic Aubrey freak out. She'd already had to help her control her breathing a few times since they'd gotten there this morning, early. _Very_ early. At Aubrey's insistence.

Maybe it's because her eyes had actually started to close on their own accord. Maybe it's because she was looking everywhere except where she was going. There could be a thousand different reasons, but on the first day of Chloe's senior year at Barden, at around three in the afternoon, she literally runs into Beca Mitchell. And into the coffee Beca was holding in front of her…


	2. Chapter 1

"You know you really don't have to do this…" Beca mumbled to Chloe, who was still trying to wipe the coffee off her shirt with a bundle of napkins.

"Nonsense! Because of my airhead-ness, your daily dose of caffeine is gone! The least I can do is buy you another one," the redhead replied, throwing away the napkins and stepping in front of the waiting barista. "I'll have a large normal coffee with two milks and two sugars and whatever this one wants," she said, smiling and pointing to Beca.

After receiving their orders, Chloe, without giving it much thought, grabbed the brunette's hand and dragged her off to a corner occupied by two big armchairs. Sitting down, the two girls started talking, getting to know each other.

Chloe learned that Beca was a freshman, probably even crazier about music than herself and very sarcastic. The girl hid beneath jokes and quips whenever she was uncomfortable with a subject, but the passion she exuded when talking about music was unparalleled. Chloe caught herself thinking that anyone with ears and eyes couldn't help but falling in love a bit with this passionate side of the girl.

Beca learned that Chloe was a senior, a literature major and a very peculiar individual. She also figured, by the way the redhead had dragged her to the chairs and the way her palms were steadily getting sweatier each time Chloe's smile and sparkling blue eyes turned her way, that this girl was going to be trouble. Especially if she was always this touchy – innocently swatting her arm when she made a sarcastic comment, slapping her thigh when she had been funny and nudging her knee when she wanted her attention. This girl was definitely trouble.

Three-quarter through their coffee cups, the girls noticed some sort of commotion across the street. It looked like a group of boys where putting on some sort of singing and dancing show.

Chloe glanced out the window and, spotting Bumper, muttered "Looks like the Trebles are putting on a show… Aubrey's not going to like that".

The girls made their way outside, joining the growing crowd of onlookers.

"What? Who's not going to like what?" to say Beca was confused right now would be a gross understatement.

Chloe laughed at Beca's disgruntled face. "The trebles! They're the main male a cappella group on campus. They've won the last big competition, the ICCA, and now consider themselves to be some kind of royalty" she finished, rolling her eyes. "And Aubrey's my roommate and best friend. She's the leader of the Bellas, the main female group, and well, let's just say that last year hasn't been her year and that the trebles aren't very keen on letting her forget."

"Isn't that all kind of lame though?" Becas asked, still not convinced.

"Don't knock it before you try it!" she winked, laughing.

Beca grabbed her arm, slowing her walk. "Wait, wait, wait! Are you saying you're a part of this?" she smirked.

"Sure am! Co-captain of the Bellas; we're the tits!" she smiled even wider, having just had an idea to spend more time with the younger girl "We're recruiting, you should totally join!"

"Thanks, but I think I'll _totally_ pass…"

Seeing the redhead's face fall, Beca couldn't help but think that with a face like hers it should be illegal to look this sad and adds "Besides, I can't sing. Sorry."

"Oh well, you can still come cheer on me!" Chloe answered, bright smile back on her face.

"Sure. Just keep me posted."

Chloe then proceeded to grab her phone, directly from her jacket pocket, without asking, and started jabbing at it, tongue poking out from the corner of her mouth. A couple seconds later, she put the phone back "There you go! That way you can't get rid of me".

"Wasn't planning too," she replied sarcastically, realizing there was more truth in that statement than she cared for. One year. That's all her dad was asking for. Not the time to get attached to people. Especially not a bubbly redhead with the smile of the century and seriously lacking in social boundaries. Yes, she'd just have to hide in her room, make mixes and she'd be fine. She'd be just fine.

And here she was, getting introspective while Chloe babbled about already being late for something. She then bounded forward, grabbed her arms and pulled the unsuspecting brunette in a close hug. Letting go, Chloe started running in the direction of her apartment, throwing a smile and a hasty goodbye over her shoulder.

Beca, still reeling from the surprise hug, followed Chloe's messy red hair until she couldn't distinguish the girl from the other passers-by anymore. Well, she thought, that was different. She was different.


End file.
